December 11, 2025: The Maharashtra government will conduct a comprehensive review of Mumbai’s long-pending redevelopment projects, some of which have remained stalled for five to ten years. Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai, who is handling Housing Department matters during the Winter Session, told the Assembly that the state aims to revive these delayed works and will not hesitate to act against non-performing developers.
Responding to a calling attention motion raised by Shiv Sena-UBT MLA Ajay Chaudhary, Desai said the earlier Guardian Minister had already issued recommendations for the redevelopment of slums in Jijamata Nagar, Kalachowki. “If the development work is not done as per that suggestion, action will be taken against him. In this regard, another meeting will be held within the next one month. The developers will be given a last chance after reviewing the redevelopment projects of old buildings in Mumbai that have been stalled for many years. If the project still does not go ahead, action will be taken to change the developer,” he said.
In a separate response to a calling attention motion raised by Shiv Sena MLA Mangesh Kudalkar and others, Desai informed the House that the state has secured a no-objection certificate from the Centre for redeveloping slums located on railway land in Sable Nagar, Santoshi Mata Nagar and Kranti Nagar in the Kurla division. He noted that “the numbering of 1,241 huts on the 3.87 acres of railway land in Kurla has been completed and biometrics of 1,188 huts have also been done.”
Addressing concerns about rehabilitation in the Gandhi Nagar–Indira Nagar area, the minister said re-surveys would be ordered if eligible slum dwellers meet the required criteria and have provided proper documentation. He also said the Housing Department will seek a detailed report from MHADA on rehabilitation cases in Navi Mumbai and reconsider the inclusion of eligible beneficiaries under the Project Affected Persons scheme.
Desai added that MHADA has been instructed to investigate unusually low tender submissions for repairing old MHADA buildings. Responding to Congress MLA Amin Patel, he clarified that redevelopment work in South Mumbai remains stalled due to a High Court stay on MHADA’s Section 79A notice. A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court to lift the stay, and the feasibility of redeveloping 81 buildings in Umarkhadi in two phases will be assessed.
Source: The Hawk
